Man goes home after hospital stay to find girlfriend dead in suspected homicide

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After five days of treatment at an area hospital, a Kansas City, Mo., man returned home and made a grisly discovery Monday night, according to police.

Thomas Jester, 73, said he opened the door and found the body of his dead girlfriend, 51-year-old Julie Auclair, whom he had dated for 10 years, according to WDAF-TV.

Police say they are investigating the case as a suspected homicide.

Jester had been a patient at Truman Medical Center since the previous Thursday. He said he was beside himself with grief upon finding Auclair's body, which, according to him, was pushed into a corner of his living room with an end table on top of it.

Jester said he ran to the home next door to call police.

"I want to know exactly who did it and what happened," Jester said Tuesday.

At first, Jester said he believed she was merely passed out drunk. There were no signs of forced entry into the home, and no signs of trauma on Auclair's remains, which, he says, were cold to the touch.

On Tuesday morning, Kansas City police crime scene investigators were busy at the home. Police spokesman Darin Snapp confirmed a person of interest had been taken into custody.

"Whenever I came over last night, he was in tears," Sharon Jester, Thomas' sister-in-law, said. "I've never seen anything like that. I can only imagine how he felt when he saw it. I believe (Auclair) should get justice for what has happened to her."

Sharon Jester described Auclair as being kind and considerate, saying she'd be missed.

As of Tuesday evening, no charges have been filed by the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office.